Apple’s First GaN Charger

By Stephen Russell - 18 Nov, 2021 - Comments: 1

It has been heavily rumored and anticipated for a few years now, but we have finally seen Apple make the switch to using gallium nitride (GaN) as the power transistor in one of their charging products: the 140 W charger for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro. As has been the case with many innovations in the past, Apple may not be the first, but when they do adopt a technology people take notice! A... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Nov. 2

By Jesse Allen - 02 Nov, 2021 - Comments: 0

GaN CMOS ICs Researchers from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) are working to increase the functionality available to wide bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) electronics. GaN is frequently used in power electronics, such as power converters and supplies. However, GaN CMOS technology has been hampered by the difficulties in implementing p-channel transistors and integrat... » read more

The Silicon Carbide Race Begins

By Patrick Waurzyniak - 20 Sep, 2021 - Comments: 0

The growing adoption of silicon carbide (SiC) for a variety of automotive chips has reached the tipping point where most chipmakers now consider it a relatively safe bet, setting off a scramble to stake a claim and push this wide-bandgap technology into the mainstream. SiC holds great promise for a number of automotive applications, particularly for battery electric vehicles. It can extend d... » read more

Gearing Up For Next-Gen Power Semis

By Mark LaPedus - 16 Sep, 2021 - Comments: 0

After years in R&D, several vendors are moving closer to shipping power semiconductors and other products based on next-generation wide-bandgap technologies. These devices leverage the properties of new materials, such as aluminum nitride, diamond, and gallium oxide, and they are also utilized in different structures, such as vertical gallium-nitride power devices. But while many of thes... » read more

Gate Drive Solutions For CoolGaN 600 V HEMTs

By Infineon - 08 Jul, 2021 - Comments: 0

This paper explains the gate drive requirements for Infineon’s CoolGaN 600 V e-mode HEMTs. Various driving solutions are discussed, ranging from the standard RC-coupled driver to a new differential drive concept utilizing dedicated gate driver ICs. In half-bridge topologies, a hybrid configuration combining isolated and non-isolated drivers could be an exciting alternative. Practical applicat... » read more

Problems In The Power Grid

By Ed Sperling - 22 Jun, 2021 - Comments: 1

The gap is widening between power availability and peak demand. Ritesh Tyagi, head of innovation and growth strategy at Infineon Technologies, talks about what needs to be done to fix the power grid, particularly as more cars are electrified and more electronic devices are mobile. While there currently is a surplus in power being generated on a macro level in the United States, for example, it�... » read more

Going Vertical With GaN Devices

By Katherine Derbyshire - 15 Apr, 2021 - Comments: 1

Gallium nitride has long been on the horizon for a variety of uses in semiconductors, but implementing this on a commercial scale has been relatively slow due to a variety of technical hurdles. That may be about to change. The wide bandgap of GaN makes it particularly attractive material for power conversion applications. Still, actually realizing its benefits in commercial devices has been ... » read more

IC Materials For Extreme Conditions

By Katherine Derbyshire - 18 Mar, 2021 - Comments: 1

The number of materials being researched for chips used in extreme environments, such as landing on the planet Venus, is growing. While GaN has captured much of the attention for power conversion circuits, it's just one of several applications for semiconductors in extreme environments. The high voltage, high temperature, and caustic atmospheres found in many industrial and aerospace environ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: March 8

By Jesse Allen - 08 Mar, 2021 - Comments: 0

Non-toxic, printable piezoelectric Researchers at RMIT University and University of New South Wales developed a flexible and printable piezoelectric material that could be used in self-powered electronics including wearables and implantables. "Until now, the best performing nano-thin piezoelectrics have been based on lead, a toxic material that is not suitable for biomedical use," said Dr N... » read more

Increasing The Conductive Density Of Packaging

By Shaun Bowers - 18 Feb, 2021 - Comments: 0

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technologies have created new challenges and opportunities for power packages. Developments such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), have a higher figure of merit (FOM) compared to silicon MOSFETs and have extended the efficiency, output power and/or switching frequency range and operating temperature range for power electronics. With lower lo... » read more

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